Thoreau had it right about less government

Henry David Thoreau once wrote, "The government is best which governs least."

While I realize the necessity of the government to maintain certain functions, I believe this statement to still be true.

This quotation guides my thinking about the proposed smoking ban. I believe that there are two myths being put forth on this issue.

Myth 1: This is a public health issue.

Myth 2: We must protect the rights of smokers and non-smokers.

The truth is that it is a referendum on how much power we want to allow our government to have over private business.

Amarillo voters spoke once, and clearly said they do not want government interference. Now it is time for them to speak again and tell the government to limit their actions and allow private business owners to make their own decisions.